Abstract:
Kernel smoothing represents a useful approach in the graduation of mortality rates. Though there exist several options for performing kernel smoothing in statistical software packages, there have been very few contributions to date that have focused on applications of these techniques in the graduation context. Also, although it has been shown that the use of a variable or adaptive smoothing parameter, based on the further information provided by the exposed to the risk of death, provides additional benefits, specific computational tools for this approach are essentially absent. Furthermore, little attention has been given to providing methods in available software for any kind of subsequent analysis with respect to the graduated mortality rates. To facilitate analyses in the field, the R package DBKGrad is introduced. Among the available kernel approaches, it considers a recent discrete beta kernel estimator, in both its fixed and adaptive variants. In this approach, boundary bias is automatically reduced and age is pragmatically considered as a discrete variable. The bandwidth, fixed or adaptive, is allowed to be manually given by the user or selected by cross-validation. Pointwise confidence intervals, for each considered age, are also provided. An application to mortality rates from the Sicily Region (Italy) for the year 2008 is also presented to exemplify the use of the package.

Abstract:
Item response theory (IRT) models are a class of statistical models used to describe the response behaviors of individuals to a set of items having a certain number of options. They are adopted by researchers in social science, particularly in the analysis of performance or attitudinal data, in psychology, education, medicine, marketing and other fields where the aim is to measure latent constructs. Most IRT analyses use parametric models that rely on assumptions that often are not satisfied. In such cases, a nonparametric approach might be preferable; nevertheless, there are not many software applications allowing to use that. To address this gap, this paper presents the R package KernSmoothIRT. It implements kernel smoothing for the estimation of option characteristic curves, and adds several plotting and analytical tools to evaluate the whole test/questionnaire, the items, and the subjects. In order to show the package's capabilities, two real datasets are used, one employing multiple-choice responses, and the other scaled responses.

Abstract:
The article
analyses the form of state of the federal Indian Union, which is rather
atypical in the “landscape” of comparative constitutional law. The trend
towards centralization of functions and powers, both at federal and state
levels, probably constitutes some sort of quasi-federalism, or semi-federalism,
or even unionist federalism. Indian pragmatic federalism, which we can mainly
characterize as a variant of ethnic federalism, may well lead, in terms of the
classification of the forms of state, to consider Indian federalism as unitary
federalism, or as the realization of a sui
generis unionist state.

Abstract:
In a comparative view of the Arctic, Greenland is the only autonomous territory that has the possibility of legally reaching the status of full independence. The funding of the increasing autonomy and, ultimately, of the independence of Greenland is acquired largely from the revenues of mining operations and, more generally, from the exploitation of natural energy sources. However, one must consider the special conditions of the indigenous Inuit, torn between the desire to participate in the development of the Arctic regions, with the related socio-economic benefits, and the willingness not to abandon the traditional lifestyles that are the basis of their indigenous culture.

Abstract:
immunohistochemistry is highly dependent on tissue fixation and histologic processing. we compared the results of estrogen and progesterone receptor quantitation determined by using both a biochemical method and an immunohistochemical method related with tissue preparation, either in the microwave oven or in the stove. the group of cases whose tissues were processed in the microwave oven did not present statistical correlation between the methods (p = 0,098 to estrogen receptor; p = 0,5 to progesterone receptor). there was good correlation between the methods in tissues which were processed in the stove (p = 0,0447 and q = 0,76 for estrogen receptor; p = 0,0472 and q = 0,764 for progesterone receptor). we conclude that immunohistochemistry for hormone receptors in breast cancer is a reality. it is feasible since some cautions are taken in the fixation and processing. external controls appropriated to the reality of a given laboratory should always be used.

Abstract:
sugarcane is of prime importance in brazilian agriculture, being cultivated over a range of environments (climate and soil). studying cultivars responses in different environments helps to improve and maximize the crop economic output. in this context, three experiments were performed in a 9x2 randomized block design with four replicates to assess differences in stalk and the percentage of sucrose of nine sugarcane cultivars growing in two soils, tipic kandiaqult (pl) and arenic kandiudult (pv). the cultivars were harvested during three months (may, august and october/1997). overall the pv soil permitted higher stalk productivities (p<0.01). the sugarcane cultivars studied in this work showed different stalk produtivities and ripening degrees in the studied environments, which related to the water holding capacities in the two soils, emphasizing the role of environment on stalk and potential sugar productivities.

Abstract:
In the period 1986–1991, we performed 370 consecutive total hip arthroplasties (THA) using the Harris-Galante porus coated prosthesis. The characteristics of this component are: a fiber-mesh coating in pure Ti alloy that stimulates osteoinduction, a process of fusion of fiber-mesh to the metal back that reduces potential damage to the microstructure of the fibers with consequently less resistance to fatigue and a better primary stability guaranteed by fixation screws that stimulate osteoconduction. The average follow-up was 11.5 years. The follow-up was performed through a roentgenographic control at 3, 6 and 12 months and then once a year. Mineralometric evaluation with a Hoxologic QDR apparatus [1,2] permitted quantitative examination of the periprosthetic bonestock. A questionnaire was administered to examine the characteristics of pain and the ability to perform daily activities, to go upstairs, to walk distances, to sit the down and to put on socks and shoes. We found no vascular complications because of the use of Ti screws; the cup, after a primary fixation, ran into osteointegration in most cases. We did not find any aseptic loosening due to the inadequate primary press-fit or to screw breaking. We did not find any periprosthetic bone loss due to the migration of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear particles from holes of the shell. When aseptic loosening of the femoral stem and UHMWPE wear particle formation did occur, the metal back was perfectiyl osteointegrated and we only had to substitute the insert. The results are clinically interesting considering the long-term follow-up, the large number of patients and, technically, the type of fixation (line-to-line without press-fit), the semplicity of assembly of UHMWPE without any bone loss around the cup, the good fixation of cups even if badly implanted because of other difficulties in impanting them or for a wrong technique. In our opinion, our choice of implanting HG1 cups line-to-line was successful 10–15 years later.

Abstract:
in orange commercial farms, zn deficiencies symptoms and small fruits were observed in corrientes, argentine. during four years (1995 to 1998), valencia orange (citrus sinensis osb.) on rough lemon (c. jambhiri lush.) rootstock, implanted in 1974 in sandy soil, where six treatments were tested. treatments varied from 1 to 3 kg kcl.tree-1.year-1 (applied in april and december) with and without zineb 80, 0,35%. year-1, 20 l. tree-1 (13,3 g zn.tree-1 applied in december). the experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications, with a single tree and borders in the experimental plot. foliar sample were taken every year in autumn and summer, foliar concentrations of zn and k were determined by atomic spectrum absorption. harvested fruits were classified into small, medium and big. analysis of variance, tukey test and pearson correlations between production and foliar concentrations were performed. higher fertilization levels of k with zn increased medium and big fruits production (kg and percentage). foliar concentrations of k and zn were positively correlated with big and medium fruit production and negatively correlated with small one. chemical names used: ethilenbis-ditiocarbamate of zn (zineb).